


Shadows

by Dreaming_Dragons



Category: Miraculous Ladybug, Original Work
Genre: Crossover, Gen, so like Kwamis and all that stuff, tags will be added as this progresses bc I tend to go darker the longer I write, this is all ocs just with the ideas of MLB in here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-14 13:19:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16041266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreaming_Dragons/pseuds/Dreaming_Dragons
Summary: “Uncia, stop humming.”“If you stop talkin'.”A young woman retorted, slowly crawling underneath a set of metal bleachersThe ears perched atop her head flicked back as she gave her partner a toothy grin.“Only if you stop humming.”“Sto- Shhh!”She flattened to the ground, her long tail flaring up as a janitor walked passed, whistling as he drug his mop behind him.She waited a moment before glaring at her partner.The little antennae on his head flicked as he stared at her.“Shhh!”Her tail waved, the only lasting sign of her irritation.“Listen Lights, we can't be fighting. This is legit seriousness, and as much as I just wanna treat this as fun outing, we need to do well here. Or things will just go down hill.”





	1. Shadows and Corridors

**Author's Note:**

> So while this is technically a crossover, it's more original work than an actual crossover;  
> I absolutely love the ideas for Miraculous Ladybug (Kwamis, being able to transform into a superhero, bad guys preying on negative emotions)  
> But I'm kind of bad at writing canon characters? Or at least I always feel like I am.  
> So all of the characters in here are from my own head; Some may be "recycled" ocs, from other non-mlb stories, but they'll all be mine.  
> Sorry if you wanted actual mlb fanfics ;>w>  
> Hopefully by the time I have the second chapter up, I'll have actual reference sheets for these ocs up, but atm I don't have them done,,,,,  
> Anyway, one more thing: this is set in america, because I am american and I have next to no clue about how things in France work, or basically anything outside of america.  
> I need to change that :T  
> Well, I hope you enjoy this!  
> If you wanna ask a question, go right ahead!!

“Uncia, stop humming.”  
“If you stop talkin'.”  
A young woman retorted, slowly crawling underneath a set of metal bleachers  
The ears perched atop her head flicked back as she gave her partner a toothy grin.  
“Only if you stop humming.”

“Sto- _Shhh!”_  
She flattened to the ground, her long tail flaring up as a janitor walked passed, whistling as he drug his mop behind him.  
She waited a moment before glaring at her partner.  
The little antennae on his head flicked as he stared at her.  
“ _Shhh!”_  
Her tail waved, the only lasting sign of her irritation.  
“Listen Lights, we can't be fighting. This is legit seriousness, and as much as I just wanna treat this as fun outing, we _need_ to do well here. Or things will just go down hill.”  
Uncia sighed, continuing to crawl forward.  
“That's what I said before we came here, Oli- Uncia. Stupid code names.”  
Lights said, his nose twitching as he huffed.  
“Sorry. Anyway, where are we headed? Left or right?”  
“We're heading right. Down that hall and through the double doors.”  
“Why's there a Shadow in the school anyway? They don't usually _enter_ buildings. Maybe sneak around them, but not go into them.”  
“Beats me. Maybe it got cold. Ready to run?”  
Lights asked, the tiny antennae on his head blinking rapidly.  
In response Uncia wriggled out from under the end of the bleachers, crouching as she waited for Light's signal.  
“ _Go!”_  
The two of them darted to the gym doors, Uncia stopping momentarily to hold the door open for her partner.  
After a quick look around to make sure there were no janitors or security guards, and a moment for Lights to disable the cameras, they continued towards their destination.

  
“So it's uh. Hiding in the kitchen?”  
Uncia asked, tail flicking as she sniffed the air.  
“Getting some serious Jurassic park vibes here.”  
Lights rolled his eyes.  
“Yeah yeah, metal kitchen and all, don't go having flashbacks on me okay?”  
“Totally will. You're gonna have to go on without me, I'm just gonna stuff myself into this oven okay?”  
Uncia whispered, grinning.  
“Sure. Now hush, We've gotta find this thing. You start on that side of the kitchen, I'll start on this side.”  
The two split up, Uncia slowly clapping her hands as she wove through the shelves and metal islands.  
“C'mere little shadow.... C'mere.... We don't wanna hurt you, just gonna get you outta here so you can't give anybody the depressoes....” She talk-sang, gently banging on pots with her tail as she passed them.  
A small feline shape flitted around, growling pitifully as it tried to find a quieter place in the kitchen.  
It rushed between the two, its grows growing higher in pitch as its space decreased.  
“Can you get it? Or do you need me to grab it?”  
Uncia asked, dashing around a counter top to block the shadow as it tried to dash away.  
“I got it.”  
Lights straightened, the bio-luminescent spots on his suit blinking slowly.  
The shadow, while looking scared, swayed as the lights became a mesmerizing pattern, gaining speed as it continued to watch.  
Crouching down, Lights jumped forward, grabbing the back of the shadow.  
It yowled loudly, trying to scratch the teenager as it flailed.  
“Not this time. Not doing a repeat of the last time one of you little shits scratched me..”

Lights sighed, holding the blobby cat at arms length.  
It yowled, its legs elongating as they melted.  
“Keep it still for just a sec, I'm getting the bag out.”  
Uncia said, swiftly tugging it out of a hidden pocket.  
“Three, two one!”

After calling out one, Lights dropped the shadow into the bag, which Uncia quickly zipped shut before it jumped out.

“No others?”  
“Not that I was informed of. If there was, Kheeno wasn't up front about that.”  
“Ready to go?”  
Uncia asked, turning around to the stainless steel fridges.  
“Yeah. Wanna take this thing, though?”  
“Sure, just give me a second.”  
Uncia opened up the fridge, rumminging around until she found something.  
“Really? Taking the school's pudding?”  
Lights said, scowling.  
“Hey, we're making sure they don't have to deal with Shadows. Our Kwamis can at least get a pudding cup for their troubles.”  
Uncia said, showing the two butterscotch pudding cups she had snatched.  
“Kheeno prefers chocolate, if there's any in there.”  
“Good choice.”  
Uncia turned back around and swapped one of the puddings out before stuffing them in her pocket.  
“Now hand over that kitter.”  
Lights handed the bag over, and the two of them sauntered towards the door.  
Giddy over their capture, neither of them noticed the flashlight beam through the kitchen door.  
Lights pushed open the door, only to backpedal as he saw the security guard heading down the hallway.  
“Crap. Guess we were making too much noise. Or took too long. Something. Go to the backdoor, Ol- Uncia.”  
The two of them rushed back into the kitchen, Uncia's tail accidentally knocking a pot of the counter in her haste.

As quietly as they could, the two of them leapt behind a island.  
Hands over their mouths, they watched the flashlight beam waft over the walls of the kitchen. Uncovering hers, Uncia wordlessly mouthed 'Jurassic Park' before covering her smile back up.  
Lights rolled his eyes, but that didn't keep a smile from forming on his face as well.  
  
After what felt like an eternity, the security guard left, muttering _“Probably just a rat. Gonna have to tell Jim to put some bait out or something.”_ as he exited the kitchen.  
Uncia and Lights let out a giant sigh of relief, stood up and gathering their bag and pudding;  
After a moment to check the guard really was gone, they hi-tailed it out of the building, down the road and to a small playground.  
“Jeeeeeeze, I though he wasn't supposed to come into the kitchen?”  
“Olivia, he's a security guard, he probably has a circuit he goes around on. Or he saw the cameras were all blurry'n shit and came running. Or the light up polka dots on me. ”  
“Maybe. Whatcha wanna name this doodie?”  
Uncia asked, holding the bag up.  
It flailed slightly, but not for long.  
“....Velocity.”  
“For it's un-apparent speed or is that a dino thing?”  
“Like velociraptor.”  
Uncia snickered.  
“Transform here or at home?”  
“Home, we're still technically in view of the school.”  
“Alrighty. Let's a-go!”  
Uncia bounced up, holding her hand out to help Lights up.

 

* * *

  
  
After a quiet and stealthy hike over roads and into woods, the two of them made a beeline for a shoddily built shack a ways in.  
“this makes six, right?”  
Lights asked, setting his hand on the door handle.  
Something inside the shack rumbled, and the cracked glass window on the door shuddered.  
“Yeah. This one's the smallest so far, too. Here's hoping Mr. Shaun finds someone for the bracelet soon.”

Uncia said, grabbing the bag.  
She lifted it up, holding one end up, so the Shadow fell to the other end with the zipper.  
“Should we shove it through the window? Or use the door?”  
“Door, it's safer. We may not be able to get the window back on if we take it off.”

Uncia nodded.  
“Want me to throw some rocks at the back of the room? Or do you think we'll be good?”  
“We'll probably be good.”  
Lights waited until Uncia moved the bag to the door, one hand holding the top of the bag and the other on the zipper.  
“On three?”  
“Yeah. Let that smoky bean out.”

The two of them counted down from three;  
Lights shifted the door open a smidge, and Uncia unzipped the bag just enough for the Shadow to slip out.  
“Maybe we should ask Shaun about how his search is going.”  
“he'll say the same thing as always – 'Patience is a virtue, and you must'nt rush things if you want to do well'. You know he will Uncia.”  
Lights said as he shut the door.  
“Probably.”  
Uncia looked through the cracked window, and whistled.  
“Quite a party in there. Five whole shadows, enjoying eachother's company in sorrow. …..Five?”  
Uncia looked over at Lights.  
There _should_ have been six in the shack.  
“Check the back, I'll get the other side here.”  
Uncia quietly snuck around the side of the shack, keeping her eyes peeled in the darkness that surrounded her.  
No signs of an unnatural, ethereal black, so blindingly white eyes that seemed to stare into your very soul.  
There weren't any holes either, and Shadows didn't seem to be able to phase through walls either.  
“Any sign, Lights?”  
“Nope. Not a single hole.”  
“That's weird.”  
Uncia said, walking around the shack to join Lights on the other side.

“Maybe one ate the other?”  
“Do shadows get depressed? Or anxious? Or any thing close to negative feelings?”  
Uncia asked, kicking a moss covered piece of siding.

“Not that I know. Shaun isn't exactly forthcoming about information about these things.”  
Uncia shrugged.  
“I'll ask him tomorrow. I am the one visiting him, right?”  
Uncia said, starting towards the front of the shack.  
After a second, she reached into her pocket for a pudding cup and handed it to Lights.  
Lights shoved it in his pocket after thanking her.  
“Uuhhhhh yeah I think it's your turn. I wanna say I went last.”  
“Oh well. C'mon, we gotta get back to my house before my mom wakes up, figures out we're not in my room, and suspects something.”  
Lights nodded.  
“See you in the kitchen.”  
He said, pointing a finger gun at him before starting to jog away.  
Uncia stretched her legs out before running in the opposite direction.  
She quickly reached the street that connected to hers, and ducked into a bush.  
“Fluff off, Shoko”  
She whispered, watching the form-fitting soft grey wool jacket melt away.  
A tiny bobble-headed snow leopard floated around to face her, yawning as she held a finger out for it to perch on.  
“You did well, Kitten.” The snow leopard purred, blinking slowly.  
“Do you want your pudding now? Or in my room?”  
Uncia asked the feline, slipping it into a pocket on her shirt front.  
“Home please. Much easier to eat there.”  
It purred, smiling.  
Stepping silently out of the bush, Uncia quickly made her way towards her home, the first one on the left side of the cul-de-sac.  
Or would it be last?  
Were they technically the same?  
Ah well, it was much too late in the day to ponder that.  
She quietly opened the fence gate, thanking herself that she had oiled the hinges at the beginning of the summer.  
She slowly climbed the trellis that led to her bedroom; at her small size, and added strength and speed from Shoko, the trellis bent a little bit, but not enough to break.  
And if it did, Uncia would just tell her parents an animal must have been trying to climb up it.  
Or it had rotten.  
Something that didn't have to do with her.

                                                   

* * *

  
  
She tapped on the window before opening it up.  
Lights, or Victor, as he was known when not on the job of hunting down shadows, sat on her bed.

A firefly-esque creature sat beside him, scarfing down a pudding cup.  
“you're gonna choke, Kheeno.”  
“No way.”  
The firefly snuffled, pulling the plastic cup away from his face momentarily to speak.  
“May I have mine?”  
Shoko asked, looking up at Uncia.  
“Absolutely. Need a spoon?”  
Shoko thought for a moment before nodding.  
“Do you even have a small enough spoon for a Kwami, Olivia?”  
Victor asked, slipping down to the floor.  
Instead of answering, Olivia simply turned to her dresser and opened up the doll house that sat on top of it.  
She pulled out a tiny doll spoon, and handed it to Shoko.  
“I have like, fifty tiny spoons. My parents always buy me doll stuff for my birthday”  
She said, setting Shoko and the pudding cup on the dresser.  
The kwami quickly tore the top off of the pudding, and started eating it hungrily.  
  
“Alright, so aside from telling Mr. Shaun about the Shadow being eaten slash getting phasing through walls, anything I should tell him?”  
Olivia asked, leaning against the dresser.  
“Where do you want me to put this?”  
Kheeno asked, holding up the emptied pudding cup.  
Wordlessly, Victor held his hand out; Kheeno set it in his hand, and Victor chucked it across the room into Olivia's wastebasket.  
“Nice. You should play basketball.”  
“Nah, not tall enough. But other than the Shadow thing and asking about the Epic Search that is looking for who ever gets the bracelet, nothing I can think of. You gonna try and escape during lunch?”  
“Right, bracelet. Nah, I'm gonna wait until after school. I can just text my mom that I've got track practice or a friend invited me to the mall.”  
“Ha. My mom would have my head if I didn't show up directly after school. Must be nice to not have a helicopter mom.”  
Victor smiled wryly.  
“It is nice.”  
Olivia snickered.  
“we should probably get to bed before my parents head me. There's a second bed in the doll house if you don't wanna sleep with Victor, Kheeno.”  
Kheeno yawned,the two antennae on his head waving back.  
“Nah, I'll be fine. Thank you for the offer though.”  
  
“Night Kheeno.”  
“Night Shoko.”  
“g'night Victor.”  
“g'night Shoko.”  
“Night-night Olivia.”  
“G'night, Shoko.”  
….  
“...G'night Shoko.”  
“Night Kheeno.”  
“Nigh-”  
“Next person to say good night is sleeping outside.”  
“...Night Olivia...”  
  


 


	2. Do you like pancakes?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pancakes are eaten.

  
The next morning came far, far too early.  
Victor woke up before Olivia did, and after a few minutes of futile attempts to wake her up, stole her blankets.  
“You're mom's making pancakes.”  
“sho? Go eat some.”  
Olivia mumbled, hugging her pillow to her chest as she sleepily glared at him.

“You know your mom won't let us eat until everyone's up. So c'mon, I'm hungry. And I'm sure Shoko wants some tooooo.”  
He chided, glaring back at her as he dropped her blankets.  
“Going right for the heart.” Kheeno said, looking over at Shoko as she shook her head.  
“So heartless, won't let his friend sleep.”  
Shoko said, clicking her tongue.

“Hey, we have to get to school in like, an hour. And I want pancakes too.”  
Victor grumbled, crossing his arms.  
“Just let mom know I'm gonna be down in just a couple minutes.”  
Olivia said, sitting up.  
Victor moved to the door, put his hand on the doorknob and stopped.  
“Should I bring Kheeno down? Or should I try and smuggle him some up afterward?”  
Victor said.  
“I'll smuggle him up some after breakfast. I always bring some for Shoko, won't be much of an issue to bring more.”  
Olivia said, standing up.  
Victor nodded, opening the door and slipping into the hallway.  
He probably should've asked if he needed to change out of his pajamas.  
His mom was pretty strict about not wearing pjs to the table, unless you were sick.  
Olivia's mom seemed pretty chill though, not batting an eye when Olivia had tromped into the kitchen with muddy boots.  
Or when Victor had spilled water all over the living room carpet.  
A very nice lady, if you asked Victor.  
He hopped down the stairs as he heard Olivia closed the door behind him.  
Olivia's mom was flipping pancakes in a long, skinny griddle, quietly singing as she did so.  
“But it was not your fault but mine.... and it was your heart on the line... Good morning, Victor.”  
She smiled at him as he stepped into the kitchen.  
“Good morning, Mrs. Lyon.”  
He said, smiling back.  
“Would you mind heading back upstairs to wake Olivia up? I'd send one of her siblings up, but they're convinced she'd bite them.”  
Mrs. Lyon laughed, turning another pancake.  
“She should be getting up now. She said she'd be getting up in a few minutes.”  
“Well that's a first. Someone usually has to get barked at before she wakes up, haha.”  
“I did steal her blankets. She kinda griped at me.”  
“Mmhmm. How hungry are you?”  
“I could probably eat a couple of pancakes.”  
“well I've recreated the leaning tower of pizza with pancakes, o you eat as many as you want, alright?”  
“Yes ma'am.”  
Victor sat down; Mrs. Lyon smiled at her eldest as she walked into the kitchen, rubbing the last of the sleep out of her eyes.  
“Want some pancakes?”  
“Absolutely, mom.”  
Olivia sat down across from Victor, slumping down on the table.  
“Wish it was a Saturday so I could sleep in.”  
“Well dear, I told you that's what you should do, but you _insisted_ that you have a sleepover last night.”  
Mrs. Lyon said, setting a plate of pancakes in front of both of them.  
“It was the only day Victor's mom would let him come over. I think she was trying to get you to day no or somethin'”  
Olivia mumbled, grabbing her fork.  
“Try not to mumble dearie, no one will be able to hear you.”  
Mrs. Lyon said, giving her daughter's forehead a kiss as she set a bottle of syrup on the table.  
“Are you taking the bus today, or am I driving you and Victor?”  
“We're taking the bus. I need to beat Talia up to get my Dungeon Quests disc back.”  
Mrs. Lyon rolled her eyes.  
“I'll remember that if I'm called into the office.”  
She said, laughing as she left to go wake up her other children.  
“...do you really need to beat Talia up? I thought the two of you were good friends?”  
“Nah, I don't need to beat her up. I do need to ask her about my disc though. She's had it for a month and there's no way she still hasn't beaten it.”  
Olivia started shoveling bites of pancakes into her mouth,   
“And we are good friends, she's just not my best friend.”  
She mumbled around a mouthful of food.  
“Gross”  
Victor exclaimed, taking a smaller bite of his food.  
“I have to eat before Damien getsh up, or he'll eat it all.”  
“Damien's like two years younger than you.”  
“He's in football. Also twice my size. He eats a lot.”  
Oliva said, grabbing another pancake and putting it on her plate.  
“Momma I don't wanna go to school.”  
A young girl said, rubbing her eyes.  
“You never want to go to school, Maria.”  
Mrs. Lyon said, rubbing her head before grabbing her younger daughter a plate.  
“Thanks for breakfast, mama. I'm gonna go get dressed.”  
Olivia said, chucking the pancake she had just set on her plate into her mouth.  
“Already? Olivia I swear, you're like a starving boar these days. Are you eating at school?”  
Olivia gave her mom a thumbs up, tucked her plate into the dishwasher before heading upstairs.  
“That girl eats faster and faster every morning. Eats like a worg.”  
“I bet its cuz she's in track, mom.”  
Damien said, walking into the kitchen.  
He made a beeline for the fridge and pulled out a half gallon of milk.  
“Use a glass.”  
Mrs. Lyon said, not looking up as she settled her daughter into her seat.  
“I was going to.”  
“Mmhmm, just like you were going to take out the trash?”  
“that's Olivia's job.”  
“Not last night it wasn't. You traded her table for trash, don't you remember?”  
Damien stopped in his tracks, slamming his hand into his forehead.  
“Sorry mom. I'll get it out before I leave.”  
“Apology accepted. Don't forget your books.”  
Mrs. Lyon replied, handing him a plate with a few pancakes.   
“What time is it?”  
Olivia asked, clipping her hair up in her hair bobbins.  
“Not adventure time, that's for sure.”   
Damien said, sitting down after pouring his glass of milk.  
“Hammer time, then.”  
“Jeeze you two, it's six thirty.”  
Maria said, waiting as her mom cut up her pancake.  
“Anything you wanna do before we have to go to school, Victor?”  
“Hold up, did you make your bed?”  
“Yes ma'am.”  
“Trash in your room out?”  
“Mhmm.”  
“Teeth brushed?”  
“Absolutely.”  
“Alright. Continue your sleep-over.”  
Mrs. Lyon said, turning to her own plate of pancakes.  
Olivia turned around to head upstairs to grab her books, when her mom stopped her.  
“Oh, and I don't know if you've got a cat or something in the back yard, but bring it in, please?  
We can take care of another pet, and it likes to sit right outside my window and yowl in the middle of the night.”  
She smiled at her daughter.  
“I.... don't have a cat outside?”  
Olivia responded, confused.  
“You sure? Your window was open last night. I guess I made an assumption then. Sorry dear.”  
“Maybe it's a stray. I'll see if I can't find that old raccoon trap in the garage when I get home.”  
“I'll do it Olivia, I'm the one it's bothering after all.”  
Olivia trooped upstairs, humming under her breath.  
“how it goin' Victor?”  
Damien asked, shoveling pancake into his mouth.  
Absolutely Olivia's brother.

“It's going pretty well. I aced my science test last week.”  
“Aww cool.”

Damien grimaced.  
“I managed to bomb mine. Mom's got Olivia going back over my textbook with me.”  
He rolled his eyes.  
“It's Olivia tutoring you, or football goes.”  
Mrs. Lyon said.  
“Yes mom.”  
  


 

The family finished up, took care of their dishes and washed up.  
Olivia, Damien and Victor all walked to the bus stop to await the school bus.  
Damien's came first, whisking the teen away.  
As soon as he was gone, Shoko and Kheeno popped their heads out of Olivia and Victor's jackets.  
“why don't we have pancakes at your house, Victor?”  
Kheeno asked, his antennae bobbing.  
“Because mom is on a gluten binge and won't make them right now.”  
Victor sighed, readjusting his backpack.

“I miss bread.”  
“Oof. That's gotta hurt dude. Wish you luck on that front.”  
Olivia said, patting him on the back.   
“But once she's off this gluten free thing it'll be something else.”  
He sighed again.  
“I'm just hoping it won't be sugar.”  
“You can always escape to my house. You can eat as many pancakes as you can make.”  
She smiled as Victor shook his head.  
“Can we?”  
Kheeno asked, staring up at his chosen.  
“Er maybe? Kinda depends on Olivia's mom. Bus.”  
Shoko and Kheeno ducked back into their respective pockets as the noisy bus rolled up.  
Olivia covered her ears as it stopped with a _Fwomp_ __.  
“ow.” Shoko mumbled.  
The two of them hopped into the bus, sitting in the first seats they could find.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, I won't be posting chapters every day.  
> I just wanted to go ahead and post this one, so there's more to read haha.  
> I know I'm more likely to book mark a fic if it has more than one chapter :P  
> Shorter than last one, but that's okay! The next one should be longer.  
> If you have questions, or just wanna say hi, please leave a comment!  
> I love reading comments and it helps keep me interested in writing something <3


	3. Shaun.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey, it's a Shaun

 

“Okay, no shadow today?”  
Olivia asked.  
Hands behind her head, Victor and Olivia were headed out of the school building, walking to the nearest bus stop.  
“Nope. You're clear to head off to Shaun's.”  
“You're sure? I think that new student was acting weird.”  
Olivia said, tilting her head.  
“He was probably just nervous. If he's new, wouldn't he be?”  
Olivia shrugged.  
“You remember when I moved here.”  
“Yeah, you slugged Jimmy in the face because he was picking on Talia. And then schmoozed your way out of detention.”  
Victor scoffed.  
Like he would ever forget the day he met his best friend.  
“And I wasn't nervous at all! I just wanna make sure no one's being subjected to those.... things.”  
Olivia rubbed the back of her neck before slipping her hands into her pockets.  
While a single shadow wasn't exactly _dangerous,_ unless someone had pretty chronic depression or anxiety, they tended to congregate around each other and depressed people.  
If there were too many, the results could be.... really bad.  
They reached the bus stop, and Victor sat down on the bench.  
“You running or catching a regular bus?”  
“Running. The track coach's been sick for the last week, I really frigging wanna run.”  
Olivia wound her shoulder in tight circles, stretching out as she got ready to leave.  
“Don't get hit by a car. Be careful around tenth, I've heard it's gotten really bad recently.”  
Victor said.  
“I'll make sure to get hit by every car along the way.”  
Olivia grinned, shaking her legs.  
“tell your mom I said hi.”  
“As long as you tell Shaun Kheeno and I said h-”  
Victor shut his mouth as a small gaggle of girls approached the stop.  
“I'll tell The Mods your kat said 'meow', Victor.”  
Olivia said, waving as she trotted off.  
Early on, the two of them had decided to refer to Shoko and Kheeno as their “Pets”  
Kheeno absolutely hated it, citing that he “was not a pet, and it was rather disrespectful to kwamis everywhere to refer to him as such”  
Shoko was indifferent; As long as she wasn't talked to in that baby pet voice, she was fine as being referred to as 'Olivia's cat' in public.  
And maybe she liked the fish dog treats Mrs. Lyon brought home.  
Maybe.  
She maybe liked the pet voice too, not that she would ever admit that.  
Shoko was currently snoozing in Olivia's front pocket.  
She slowly woke up as Olivia gained speed, and gently tapped on the inside part of the pocket to let her know.  
Olivia let out a low whistle, the only sign she felt the tap.  
The two continued along in silence until Olivia slowed down, evidently getting into a thicker spot of people.  
Olivia was bumped into a few times, causing the young woman to pause for a second to either apologize or berate someone.  
But for the most part, it was an easy ride; Oliva was good about not hitting people, and was attentive – even more so after Shoko had appeared in her life.

 

She continued through the downtown streets, sometimes slipping through alley ways to get around crowds of people.  
Downtown was an absolute mess, with repairs being made on several streets, and just general madness as people went on about their lives, all in their own little bubbles.  
Eventually she stopped, panting, in front of an apartment building.

It was gated, with a small speaker box in the front to let people in the building know when guests were present.  
After catching her breath, she pressed the button marked “Shaun D., Apt. 4b”  
It buzzed for a few seconds, then quieted.  
Shaun would either be down in a few minutes, or he was out and about, in which case she'd have to try again tomorrow.  
She danced impatiently; she really didn't want to wait until tomorrow.

She wanted to know if the shadows could eat each other, or it they just disappeared eventually or something?  
She hoped they just dissipated eventually.  
Why didn't they have Shaun's email? So what about being secrets and not letting people know about shadows, what if there was an emergency? What if Shoko or Kheeno suddenly got sick? Or the shadows got out and attacked Victor! What would they do then?  
After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the box buzzed again.  
“Hello?”  
A staticky voice asked.  
It sounded hoarse, like the person had recently been sick, or had been talking a lot.  
“He-ya Mr. Shaun, It's Olivia.”  
She said, letting out a tiny held breath.  
“Olivia? I wasn't expecting you back so soon. I'll be down in a minute.”  
Olivia kicked a few rocks around while she waited.  
It took a bit longer than she was anticipating for Shaun to appear, but when he did he invited her in with a warm welcome.  
She helped him back up the stairs, quietly muttering out loud about how rude it was for the architects to not have included a elevator for the poor old man.  
“I was just about to make some tea; would you like some?”  
“Yes please.”  
Olivia knew that if she didn't accept the offer, Shaun would continue to offer it.  
He seemed to think that if you didn't have a mug of something in your hand, something was wrong.  
Olivia pulled a couple of mugs out of the cabinet while Shaun started the kettle.  
“Mr. Shaun, I can't find your mug.”  
She said, pushing a few more of the plain white ones that filled the cabinet aside.  
Shaun almost always used the same mug when someone was over, a pale blue one with a series of pastel polka dots all over.  
“Hm? I guess I already used it today.”  
Shaun said, not turning away from the stove top.

“Do you have another mug you wanna use?”  
“Any is fine.”  
The kettle started whistling, so Olivia brought the mugs over.

Was it weird that Shaun had used his 'company mug' earlier?

From what he had said over the last few months, he didn't really talk to many people, much less invite them into his home.  
Really his only friends were his Kwami, Genevieve, and his dog, Kerberos.  
Plus Olivia and Victor, of course.  
  


“So.”  
Shaun started, setting his cup on the table and running a hand through his short-cropped salt-and-pepper hair.  
“I assume something urgent has come up? Usually Victor comes around in about an hour or so.”  
He said.  
“Well, we've got a couple of questions. Want me to start with the more urgent one?”  
Olivia asked, taking a sip of her tea.  
She grimaced, almost spitting it back out.  
“Peppermint isn't for everyone.”  
Shaun said, smiling.  
“But yes, the more urgent one would be a good place to start.”  
“Do shadows sometimes eat each other? Or can they phase through walls?”  
Olivia asked.  
Shaun rubbed his chin, taking another sip of tea before answering.  
“I have never encountered anything like that. I _suppose_ it is possible for them to eat each other, as I have observed Shadows eating small animals, - mostly crickets and mice, but I did once see one devour a skunk – but they don't really have.... substance.  
As for phasing through walls, that is not something I have ever seen or been told about.”

Shaun shook his head.  
“Most likely two of them melded together, creating a bigger Shadow. Why?”  
“We had five in the shed before the one we caught last night, but when we put it in there, we still had five. Can they really meld together?”  
Shaun nodded.  
“Nikki – Your predecessor, the previous holder of the Snow Leopard Miraculous, a good soul – and I once had to fight six that had melted together in the sewer system. It was... rather gross.”

Olivia nodded vigorously.  
The one and only time she had seen a sewer system was when a neighbor's septic tank had backed up.  
It had been super gross and put an end to any thoughts she had ever had of being a plumber.  
“Smaller ones are more likely to melt together.”  
“Is there any way we can prevent it?”  
“The only way would be to keep them separate, or banish them.”  
“I guess that kinda segues into my next question; How 's your search for the next holder going?”  
_Ka-thumpk_  
Olivia jumped as a loud noise filtered through the apartment.  
“What's that?”  
Shoko asked, poking out of the pocket.  
“Oh, hello Shaun. How's Genevieve?”  
As if having heard her name, Kerberos came trotting out of Shaun's bedroom, a disgruntled Kwami on her head.

“Kerberos knocked your alarm clock off of your dresser, Shaun.”  
The merled Kwami said, staring at him with ice-blue eyes.  
“Hello Genevieve.”

“Hi Shoko.”  
The two Kwami eyed each other warily.  
While on paper they should have gotten along, both being nice people and being loyal to a fault, as well as being protectors of miraculous, the two were tense friends at best.  
Maybe it was because one was a cat and the other a dog.  
“Ah. I'll pick it up later.”  
Shaun said.  
“But any how.”  
He smiled.  
“I just recently handed out the Otter Miraculous. No need to worry.”  
Olivia drooped.  
“Darn. I was hoping you would've handed out the bear-cat thingy....”  
She sighed.  
Shaun sipped his tea an fished a dog treat out of his pocket.  
He tossed it to his dog, who clattered across the hardwood floors to eat it.  
“Don't leave the poor thing hanging, Shaun. That's rude.”  
Genevieve scolded, steering Kerberos over to the table.  
The black lab wagged her tail as she shoved her head into Olivia's lap.  
“Hey girl.”  
Shoko eyed the dog nervously, licking her nose before dipping back down into the pocket.  
“Kerberos won't hurt you.”  
“I know. I just don't wanna risk those teeth.”  
Shoko shuddered in the pocket.  
Olivia scratched the dogs chin, grinning wildly as the dog's tail became a blur.  
“Either you tell that poor baby, or I will.”  
Genevieve said, raising an eyebrow at Shaun.  
“Okay okay. I found someone for the Binturong Miraculous.”  
Olivia gasped.  
“Who is it? Do they go to my school? What are they like?!?”  
Olivia asked excitedly.  
“He would prefer to remain anonymous.”  
Olivia blinked as Shaun set it cup down.  
“What?”  
“He told me he would rather not be known as anything other than the name he chose for himself, 'October'.”  
Olivia stared at him.  
She pursed her lips as the news sunk in.  
“....but why.”  
She asked, gesturing with her hands.  
“He didn't tell me exactly why, but I will respect his wishes. Don't worry, I'm sure you will see him soon. Though in all honestly, I truly wish you wouldn't have to.”  
“Alright well.... what about the otter miraculous? Do I get do know who they are?”  
“She wished to remain anonymous as well. Her alias is River.”  
Olivia grumbled under her breath.  
“How're we supposed to be a team if we don't know each other? How's that supposed to work?”  
“Nikki and I were the only ones who knew each other's true names. It isn't terribly uncommon for miraculous holders to be unaware of the others true lives.”  
“Yeah, but why.”  
“Asking the real question now, kiddo.”  
Genevieve said, snickering.  
Shaun shrugged.  
“They just weren't comfortable with it. I wasn't going to force them to revealing their identities.”

“Fiiiiinneeee. Thanks for the tea Shaun.”  
Olivia said, taking another sip of it.  
She gagged at the overpowering flavor.  
“You don't have to finish it.”  
Genevieve said, sitting down on the table.  
The Aussie Kwami sniffed something that had spilled on the table, then curled up with her legs under her.  
“Peppermint is arguably the worst tea flavor.”  
“I disagree Gigi. Peppermint is wonderful for calming down and relieving anxiety.”  
“Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say. Don't finish it if you don't want it, Olivia.”

Olivia set the cup down and scooted it forwards on the table.  
“Well I guess I better get going.”  
She said, checking the clock on her phone.  
“You're sure? No more questions at the moment?”  
“Nope, none I can think of.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm actually getting this done at a decently steady clip. huh.  
> As always, kudos/comments and such are always appreciated and keep me going!


	4. Go the heck to bed

“So we've got two more teammates?”  
Victor asked.  
Olivia had returned home, eaten dinner and done her homework, and was now chatting with Victor via  
emails.  
After that fateful day of June seventeenth, the two of them had set up “superhero emails” (sunshinesnowleopard2k00 and Lightsupbug, respectively) to talk about Shadow business in secret.  
Er. As secretive as emails could be. Which is why they usually talked in code as well.  
“Got namedf?”  
He asked, accidentally hitting a few wrong keys as his cat jumped onto his laptop.  
“*names? Did you meet them?”  
Honestly, he had been expecting Shaun to keep the Bear-Cat Miraculous locked up forever, at the rate he was going.  
What was the other thing Shaun had called it? Banturang? Binareng? Something.  
But two in one day? Or two in a span of six days? How lucky was that?  
Victor looked around his room.  
Posters of old video games encompassed the walls, shouting titles like 'Raido: Year of the Unicorn' and 'The Myth of Zoro: Rhapsody of Life'  
Many were posters his dad had got him for his birthday.

Olivia took her time replying.  
“NOOoooO >:C”  
“No names? Or no you didn't meet them?”  
“The Mods wouldn't tell me where I could find them >:C >:C >:C”  
“Why not? And chill”  
“>:C >:C Mods said that they wanted to “remain annonymous” which is lame-ass excuse if you ask me.”  
“Well I mean. What's the point of screen names online if you're not going to keep your identity a secret?”  
“>:C”  
“srsly stop. If they wanna be anonymous I don't see an issue.”  
“Yeah bt if we're gonna be a team and defeat the Grand Animus in Battle Fantasy Pop Epic don't we need to know some abt each other?”  
Victor sighed.  
While it would be good to know his teammates, he understood wanting to remain anonymous.  
The shadows had to come from somewhere, and from what he had been told, if they were still around someone may have picked up Fang's plans – or as Olivia and he liked to call them, 'Shaun's bad guy'.  
Shaun and Nikki knowing eachother's identities had made some major problems when Fang had used their shadows to coerce Nikki into attacking his friends – ending in Nikki's death.  
“BRB C.at is wailing.”  
“KK gonna check on my Kat while I'm waiting.”  
Victor turned away from his screen, gently nudging his cat back to the floor.  
It purred, rubbing its cheeks on his pant legs.  
“Love you too Bootsie.”  
He told him, rubbing the base of his tail.

“Any signs of Shadows?”  
He said, turning to his bed.  
Kheeno sat there, lights blinking gently as he snoozed off the remnants of Victor's supper.  
The Kwami thought for a moment, cocking his head this way and that as he did so.  
“There may be one across town. I can't pinpoint it exactly, but you should probably check soon.”  
“Downtown or the eastside?”  
“East side. Bad part of town.”  
Kheeno's ability wasn't exactly fool proof, but it wasn't exactly as if Olivia and Victor could go door to door asking “hi! Have you been really depressed and or anxious recently? We may be able to take care of that for you!'  
“Got it. Thanks.”  
“You're welcome. Mind taking that pair of socks you shoved in the sock drawer out? Those reek”  
Kheeno asked, his antennae waving back as he wrinkled his nose.  
“Sure.”  
Victor turned back to his computer as it binked.  
“C.at says u smell and that we should go searching for out teammates tmmrw”  
“I doubt your cat said I smell”  
“its true she said ur smlly.”  
“Ha. What time would be good to looking?  
*good 4 looking?”  
“tomorrow's Friday, right? “  
“Yi”  
“Saturday may be better. Also my kat's staring at the wall again.”  
“Which one?'  
“East side.”  
“kk. I'll come over and we can deal w/that and then go check our inboxes for those invites.”  
“Cool. Gtg to bed now, mom'll be up any minute to tell me to get to sleep.”  
Without waiting for a reply, he logged off and shut the computer down.  
If there was something urgent, Olivia would text him and he'd wake up.  
As he expected, his mom came up seven minutes later to wish him goodnight.  
Kheeno had already tucked himself into the back end of Victor's sock drawer, grumbling all the while about stinky socks.  
“Did you have a nice day at school, Victor?”  
She asked after she had knocked on the door.  
She smiled tiredly.  
“I did mom. Olivia told Anna off for taking some guys pen set.”  
He said, tucking his shoes under his bed,  
“Olivia's the girl who moved in earlier this year, right?”  
“Yeah, she's been here for about eight months now. Most of the bullies in the school go running when she shows up.”  
“I suppose that's good. Don't stay up too late now, alright Victor?”  
“I'm going to bed now Ma.”  
He said, giving her a hug.  
“Alright kiddo. Night night.”  
She said, hugging him back.  
Victor slipped underneath the blankets as she left, turning off his ceiling lights, leaving only the small lamp on his night stand.  
“Are you really going to bed now?”  
Kheeno whispered, poking his head up out of the sock drawer.  
He had rearranged a bunch of socks into a cocoon of sorts, as he did every night, much to Victors chagrin.  
“I've got school in the morning.”  
“Yeeaaaahhh and it's barely nine.”  
Victor shrugged before realizing Kheeno probably couldn't have seen that.  
“So? I'm going to bed now, you don't have to.”  
Victor tugged the blanket further over his head.  
He heard Kheeno shuffling around loudly before settling down and chirping a 'goodnight'  
“night Kheeno.”

* * *

 

“Yo, Olive.”  
Olivia looked up from the computer as Damien knocked on the wall.  
“Mom says to brush your teeth.”  
“Already done, sammy-o.”  
She responded, giving him a finger gun.  
She leaned against the wicker chair, shivering at the cold touch of it.  
The whole basement was cold, due to it's unfinished status – no flooring, nothing more than a coat of primer on the walls.  
Olivia's parents had converted the space into a games room of sorts, sticking a couple of couches and consoles down there.  
“She also said you've got fifteen minutes to head to bed.”  
“Gotcha. Victor went to bed anyway.”  
“Sorry to hear your boyfriend went to sleep.”  
Damien laughed.  
“He's not my boyfriend, Damien.”  
Olivia said, sticking her tongue out as she shut the computer down.  
“You suuuuuureeee?”  
Damien waggled his eyebrows, shouting 'hey!' as Olivia chucked a pillow from the nearby couch at him.  
“Turd. Go to sleep.”  
She said, ducking as he threw the pillow back at her.  
“G'night Olive. Don't let the ugly-bugs bite. _Oh wait!”  
_ He cackled wildly as he rushed up the stairs, Olivia hot on this heels.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Split this chapter into two |wo
> 
> Meant to post this yesterday, that didn't happen obviously haha  
> (I'm either suffering from too much peppermint in my coffee, or I've got a sore throat? I really have no clue but I'd like it to stop.)  
> There will be some more action in the next chapter,,,


	5. Chapter 5

  
The next afternoon couldn't have come fast enough.  
After an unwelcome test, an unappetizing lunch of fruit salad and a sandwich on a piece of bread that could've been cardboard, and avoiding Anna, school finally let out.

Victor zipped off a text to his mom asking if he could head out with some friends before coming home as he waited for Olivia.  
Hopefully she would say yes.  
“yo!”  
He looked up from his phone as Olivia shouted.  
She trotted up, stopping just before she rammed into him.  
“Is your mom letting you go? Or are you gonna have to head home first?”  
“I dunno yet. Still waiting for her reply.”  
“If she says no tell her I'll sock the shit out of anyone who tries to harm my best bud.”  
Victor laughed.  
“Yeah, I don't think I'll phrase it like that.”  
“Hey, don't paraphrase me.”  
Olivia laughed, grinning.  
Victor readjusted his backpack and slipped his phone back into his hoodie pocket.  
“well I guess I'll go ahead and start home, and meet you there?”  
“Yeah, can do.”  
Olivia said, reaching her hand out for a fist bump.  
“Meet you at the diner?”  
She asked as he returned the bump.  
“Vinni's or Big Ben's?”  
“Vinni's, it's the one downtown right?”  
Victor shook his head.  
“That's big ben's.”  
He said.  
Big Ben's was the one he was more familiar with; His dad had used to take him there after baseball practice.

They'd always share a plate of hashbrowns before heading home for ice cream.  
Olivia started off, leaving Victor to start home by himself.

It took a minute for his mom to reply;  
'is someone going to be with you?'  
She asked.  
“Olivia”  
He stopped, waiting for her to respond.  
'Where are you going?'  
'big bens diner'

Kheeno poked his head out from the hoodie.  
“Debating with your mom again?”  
He asked, tucking his antennae back into the hoodie.  
“Yeah, asking if I can just go straight to ben's.”  
The Kwami yawned.  
“Olivia's mom lets her go where ever she wants. Why not just go?”  
“Mom would be really upset with me if I did.”  
The Kwami shrugged, slipping back into his cozy hollow.

Victor's phone vibrated.  
'That's fine. Just be sure to keep texting me, please :D'  
'can do mom'  
He shoved his phone and his hands into his hoodie pocked and turned around.  
“Psst, you've got a perfectly good dirty alley way right over there. Well not dirty but I'm sure there's a dumpster to hide behind.”  
Victor hesitated.  
Changing and then heading there would be faster?  
“What if I get seen?”  
He said, walking forward as he realized he had been standing there for a while.  
Rousing suspicious now wouldn't be a good idea.  
“Pfft, what do you think the mask is for kid? It's to protect your secret identity.”  
Kheeno said, tapping the side of Victor's head.  
“i- yeah. Good point.”  
“There's another alley way and dumpster over there. Or you can head back to the school and change in the bathrooms.”  
Victor slowly jogged to the next alley way.  
Sure enough, there were multiple dumpsters as well as piles of boxes.   
Clearly the garbage trucks hadn't been around recently.  
“Let's get this over with....”  
  
“Ayyy, I was just about to send you a text! I was afraid your mom had said no, haha.”  
Victor heard as he landed on the roof of the building.   
It had been an easy jaunt to the small, red roofed diner, given how it had lots of other buildings around it.  
Plenty of   
He looked up to see Olivia sitting on the diner's sign, laying in a very cat-like position.  
“..how?”  
He asked.  
The way she was sitting was humanly impossible.  
Her legs were tucked up under her, and   
“how was I going to send you a text? I have your number, dummy. You can't escape me, heheh.”  
She grinned.  
“no, I mean how are you sitting like that? That's like, physically impossible.”  
Olivia looked back at herself.

“Oh.”  
She sat up.  
“Let's just call it Kwami magic.”  
She said, hopping off the sign.  
“Okay, magical gymnastics cat girl.”  
Victor scoffed.  
A car honked across the street, making him jump.  
“Hey, just remember; we're super heroes and we're on public property. Even if someone yells at us to get down, we really don't have to.”  
Olivia said, watching as a couple of cars pulled into the parking lot of the diner.  
“And I've been sitting here at least ten minutes and I'm fine. No one's yelled at me. ANYWAY.”  
She cartwheeled over the red roof, stopping just before she hit the end.  
“Don't do that, idiot.”  
Victor shouted, quickly walking over the sheet metal.  
“Do what? This?”  
Olivia asked, taking a step back so she was sitting directly on the edge of the roof.  
“HEY! You kids better get down from there.”  
A lady shouted from the parking lot.  
She glared at them from, tapping her foot.  
“Hey, I'm nearly a legal adult, lady.” Olivia said.  
“It's dangerous up there!”  
“School is more dangerous than what I'm doing at the moment!”  
Olivia snarked, grimacing.  
“Cosplaying your animay characters can be fun and all, but what your doing is dangerous. You'll slip.”  
“Ehhh.. maybe. I'll get down.”  
Clicking her tongue, she leaned backwards-  
Back, back, back until she was about to fall off the building.  
The lady screamed;

Olivia launched herself off of the roof, landing on the balcony railing of an apartment building next to the diner.  
Victor walked to the edge of the roof, crossing his arms.  
“Really?”  
“Yes really, you coming or what?”  
She said, jumping up to the railing of the floor above her.  
“Show off.”  
Victor looked down at the parking lot before he jumped after her.  
The lady screaming had attracted a small crowd – so much for being silent and unseen.  
Victor jumped after her, slowly scaling the building.  
“Dude – Don't you have wings?”  
Olivia asked as the reached the roof of the building.  
Stories below, the crowd had grown larger, with many people pointing up at them excitedly.  
A few cameras flashed as people brought their phones out.  
“I- I don't think so? No.”  
Victor said, shaking his head.  
“Think we'll be on the news?”  
Olivia asked, grinning wildly as she watched the crowd down below.  
“I hope not. I don't want my mom asking why I'm dressed as a giant firefly.'  
“Ay, superheroes, remember? We're masked, no one knows who we are.”  
Olivia smiled. She turned around and headed across the rooftop.  
Victor stopped and sighed.  
This was going to take some getting used to.   
Dinking around at night was one thing; most people weren't going to see him, much less draw a crowd.  
But daytime? He stuck out like a trick-or-treater in June.  
“You coming dude?”  
Olivia asked. She had already crossed the grey top of the apartment building, and was standing on the lip of the roof.  
“Y-yeah. Just still getting used to the whole super hero business., y'know?”  
He said, walking after her.  
“Well hey, we've been chosen for something special.”

She told him, giving him a friendly smack on the back.  
“And we're gonna crush it, and become back alley celebrities – No public showings, or anything like that. We'll exist in the shadows – metaphorically – and keep our city safe, eh?”  
Her smile wavered momentarily before Victor replied.  
“I know but... my mom _will_ kill me if she finds out I'm a superhero.”  
“And then I'll avenge your death. C'mon dude, we gotta go find this thing.”  
Olivia straightened, giving another smile before jumping to the next room.  
“You're my guide light, Lights. Can't do this without you.”  
Victor hesitated a moment before jumping after his friend.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ay uh  
> I temporarily forgot about this bc we're cleaning house .m.  
>  _sorry_


End file.
